Rural France accommodation, heart of the Provence

“A beautifully decorated apartment with lots of eco friendly features  the perfect base for walking, biking or just relaxing in the wild heart of Provence.”

Highlights

Peaceful location down a 900m dirt track | apartment sits within an old stone house | amazing views of the Luberon from living room | decor features locally made and recycled furniture | works by local artists on walls | eco friendly shower and WC | one bedroom and sofabed | hosts happy to help with local knowledge | WiFi | barbecue | bikes available to hire or borrow

Description of Rural France accommodation, heart of the Provence

This accommodation in rural France lies in the heart of Provence, in the beautiful Luberon Natural Park. Escape to the wilderness for a holiday in our self-catering apartment, which is part of a traditional stone house. The incredibly light living room has beautiful long views over the Luberon, and the whole apartment has been decorated with a fresh, pale colour scheme. Recycled materials have been used throughout and local craftsman have made many of the pieces here. The kitchen worktops are crafted from one hundred year old oak beams and youll find works by local artists hanging on the walls.

We have lived here for 15 years and got to know and love the local culture, customs and landscape. We love to share our knowledge with guests, so you get the most from your time here. If you want to be active, there is wonderful walking, mountain bike tracks and rock climbing on the famous Buoux cliffs. There are beautiful towns nearby, and we can introduce you to our local organic vegetable grower, and let you know about the shops, restaurants, famous markets and wine tasting in the area.

The apartment is just an hour from Avignon and Aix-en-Provence, surrounded by the spectacular scenery of Luberon Natural Park. Spread over 185,000 hectares, the Natural Park is biologically diverse, with some 1,500 species of flora and fauna here amongst the cliffs, ridges and oak trees. Smell the thyme, rosemary and lavender growing wild here and relax amongst unspoiled nature.

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Responsible tourism

Environment

Living for a year here without water and electricity has made us very respectful of our environment and has made us realise how fragile and beautiful it is.

Our house is over 200 years old. The ecological restoration lets the house breathe so you can enjoy the benefits of natural materials. Walls and ceilings are insulated with hemp, slaked lime and pumice. This mixture allows the walls to breathe and allows for flexibility in the stone.

We recycle all waste generated by the family and guests.

We have 150m3 of water tanks to harvest rain run-off from the roofs. This water is used for the garden, the 'potager' and for some domestic use. Winter heating is provided by a wood-fired boiler - heated water is stored in two large accumulators which feed the radiators.

We grow our own vegetables and around the house we have drought-resistant plants to avoid unnecessary use of water. We use energy-saving lightbulbs and radar lighting outside. We only use eco-labeled cleaning products to help reduce pollution in the wastewater. We encourage our guests to be aware of their environmental impact both inside and outside the house.

Community

Hamlets and houses like ours are an important part of the Luberon heritage; our vision for it was to slowly restore the buildings in an environmentally-friendly and ethical way, creating accommodation for guests as a part of that process.

We particularly welcome people who want to spend time in and get an authentic experience of life in the Luberon. We provide a large amount of information about the area and spend time helping you to immerse yourselves in local life. By focusing on those who want to explore the Luberon and its landscape, we hope to encourage people to discover and make a real connection with this land and those who live here.

We have a hectare of fruit trees that we cultivate in collaboration with Dany, our local organic producer. These are predominantly peaches, apricots and almonds. We both sell and dry the fruit.

We encourage all tourists to visit and sample the busy local market in Apt on Saturdays where many products are made locally.

We actively support environmental causes including the local communal Lucisol solar power installation.

1 Reviews of Rural France accommodation, heart of the Provence

5 out of 5 stars

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Reviewed on 18 Jul 2017 by Christine Pavey

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The view, the peace. Our hosts Will and Bea who are so helpful and informative and we mustn't forget the two dogs, Joey and Basho who were great company.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

If you are looking for noise and nightlife this is not for you. This is a place of beauty, tranquility and nature ( the butterflies were amazing and the cigales in full swing). There are a number of stairs from the car parking area to the place so if you have a severe mobility problem you may find it a little difficult but once there you will not be disappointed.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?

Yes, the property has been renovated using recycled and local products by local craftsmen. We were also able to shop locally.